The present invention relates to a method and means for controlling the drafting of sliver in a draw frame in which sliver first travels past sensing means that senses variations in the mass of sliver and then through drafting means located after the sensing means and whose draft can be changed in order to compensate for variations in mass, wherein a delay time in activation of the drafting means change is provided to account for the travel time of sliver from the sensing means to the drafting means.
In such prior known control methods and means, the control means is connected to the sensing means and to the drafting means and includes an information storage capability. Thus, if a variation in mass occurs in the sliver traveling past the sensing means, e.g. due to the sudden lack of one of several feed slivers, then the sensed value of the variation in mass is temporarily stored by the control means and after passage of a delay time corresponding to the travel time of the sliver from the sensing means to the drafting means, the control means changes the draft of the drafting means in accordance with the temporarily stored value. In such known devices, suddenly occurring variations in mass cannot be followed rapidly enough by the parts which drive the drafting means to effect accurate correspondence between the variation in mass and the imposed variation in drafting.